Bicycle handlebars generally have a structure with a variously shaped tubular body, at the ends of which two handgrips are provided for the cyclist's hands, near to fastening positions of the controls for the brake and the gearshift. Actually, handgrips often provide more than one grip position for the cyclist's hands, near to the controls for the brake and the gearshift; sometimes, particularly in handlebars intended for racing bicycles, at each end of the handlebars there are many gearshift and/or brake controls, to allow full control of the bicycle with the cyclist keeping his hands in any of the different possible gripping positions.
Bicycle handlebars are known, in particular made from composite material such as carbon fibre, in which there are recessed seats for the passage of cables, formed near to the aforementioned fastening positions. The control cables for the brake and the gearshift, be they steel cables inserted in respective sheaths for mechanical type controls or electric cables for electric type controls, are normally made to pass through these recessed seats so as not to interfere with the cyclist's hands in a possible gripping position of the handlebars, adjacent to the fastening position of the controls. Of course, in order for the recessed seats to actually be useful, it is necessary for the cables passing through them to be held there, otherwise there would again be the situation of possible interference with the cyclist's hands.
Normally, the portions of handlebars intended to be gripped by the cyclist, in all the possible gripping positions, are coated with suitable adhesive tape of relatively soft material and with increased friction, to improve the grip of the hands. This coating can be given the task of holding the cables in the seat. Although in this way it is actually ensured that they are held, the solution is not without drawbacks; indeed, during the application of the cover of adhesive tape it is necessary to hold the cables temporarily, so that at the end they are in the desired position, and this complicates the application of the adhesive tape itself. Moreover, the grip of the cyclist's hands on the area of the seat covered by adhesive tape is disturbed by the pliability of the adhesive tape, below which the cables provide an uncertain and discontinuous support.
To hold the cables in the recessed seats, it is also known to use removable cable-guides, see WO 2010/139529 A1. These small plates are snapped onto the handlebars, and lock the cables in the desired position; the adhesive tape can then be applied above the small plates. The application of the tape is thus easier, and the grip is also improved.
However, there still remains the need to further improve the grip of the cyclist's hands, since these handlebars—as stated—are often intended for racing bicycles, where every tiny detail must be taken care of to ensure that the cyclist has the best conditions.